Précis: Patrick Henry in a meeting with Virginia's delegates delivered a speech imploring the delegates to vote towards forming an army to defend against the British army. Through the use of rhetorical questions, Henry attempts to ask his audience to give what he is saying deep thought. Henry poses these questions backing them up with his own opinions in order to convince the delegates that the formation of an army would be the best thing for the colony. He attempts to convey a sense of urgency and high importance to the audience of delegates for the better good of the colony.
Personal Commentary: At times it seemed Henry's argument was too question heavy. However, I see now that Paine's main strategy was to really get his audience to think and he thought he would best achieve this by asking questions.
“Of the Origin and Design of Government in General, with Concise Remarks on the English Constitution” - Thomas Paine
Précis: Thomas Paine, in an excerpt from his work Common Sense argues against the oppressive English form of government and that government should be for the people. By listing out the Brittish Governments many flaws, Paine effectively bashes everything the British Crown stands for and advocates a government for the people in the process. He capitalizes certain words such as "ELECT" in order to stress how much more beneficial a government for the people would be as opposed to a tyrannical government like Britain's. He addresses his readers in an aggressive tone which makes it sound like he knew what he was talking about and to prove that Government is no laughing matter.
Personal Commentary: Out of all the documents read, Paine's was the only one who came off as arrogant. His tone was to almost too aggressive and made him seem pompous.
"The Declaration of Independence"- Thomas Jefferson
Précis: Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence brings forth the many crimes committed against the colonies by the English Crown and gives reason as to why they want to break free from that oppression. By accusing the King directly for all of his cruelty, Jefferson provides a strong argument as to why the colonies deserved to be free. He lists of all of the crime the King committed one by one in order to make it apparent that this break was long coming around and that they are justified for doing so. His tone is very curt and formal so as to give the document a legal and straight forward feel in the eyes of the many politicians who would read over it.
Personal Commentary: The frankness of this document gives at a very serious tone throughout and as you are reading over it you get the sense that who ever wrote it meant business. There was great are put into this so as to get their point across and avoid loop-holes.
9/11
Citation: 9/11. Dir. Jules C. Naudet and Thomas G. Naudet. CBS, 2002. CBS Programming.
Précis: Directors Jules and Gedeon Naudet, in their documentary 9/11 showcase the tragedy that struck the nation firsthand through the footage they shot on that day. The Naudet brothers set up the documentary with a a preview of what was to come, then follow it with a bit of a normal schedule in the life of a fireman, then follow the events of 9/11 in chronological order. Their purpose is not only to share their experience with the world but also that of the firemen who were in the action in order to bring in light on a day that has affected the lives of all Americans.
Personal Commentary: I was living outside of the country when 9/11 happened, so I heard about it but I never really knew exactly how it all happened. I really felt this documentary pull me in to that day, and it almost felt like you were there. Experiencing that day as if it were happening before your eyes.
Growing Up Online
Category: Documentary
Précis: The documentary, Growing Up Online, suggests that as Internet is beginning to overtake most aspects of kids' lives, one should not ignore or underestimate the dangers nor the exaggerated attitudes revolving around it. Growing Up Online showcases examples where excessive Internet has been detrimental in aspects of kids lives. This documentary's purpose is to exemplify on just how much technology has taken over our lives. Whether it's a girl like Autumn Edows posting provocative pictures of herself for the world to see in order to fit in or an overprotective mother smothering her kids on their computer use, this documentary provides extreme examples in order to show the audience that there is danger underlying in the abundance of technology.
Personal Commentary: There's no way that anything like this wouldn't shock anyone. I feel that this documentary was a bit exaggerated for the sole purpose of dramatic effect but it does make some valid points and it's not like those stories weren't true. The bit about Autumn Edows was what impressed me the most because she saw nothing wrong in what she was doing.
The Overachievers
Citation: Robbins, Alexandra. The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids. New York: Hyperion, 2006. Print.
Category: Reading/ Literature
Précis: Alexandra Robbins, popular journalist and bestselling author, in her nonfiction novel “The Overachivers” insinuates that with increasing pressure placed on students to excel in everything and anything school related, stress and other detrimental effects are beginning to take over their overall state of living. Robbins provides readers with various accounts of different high school students going about their schedules and dealing with factors such as overbearing parents, stress, pressure, and an overall sense of being overwhelmed that eventually transcends into how they deal with life in the present and future. Her purpose is to bring to light the reality that too much is being asked of students in order to showcase the downside to taking the drive to succeed in school to an extreme. She attempts to establish a connection with her readers to each of the students in her novel by using humor and down to earth storytelling to make her audience see that after all, they are just kids.
Personal Commentary: As a high school student, I find it extremely easy to relate to this book. It seems that with each passing year the expectations are raised and the pressure to succeed increases significantly. It would be beneficial to everyone if things were not taken so seriously all the time and we were given time to breathe. I wonder if there will ever be a time when school will ever be a place devoted to simply learning, instead of constantly being a place where completion is the reason behind everything. Amusing Ourselves to Death Citation: Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1986. Print.
Précis: Neil Postman in his non-fiction work Amusing Ourselves to Death argues that technology, especially television, is turning news and information into a form of entertainment, devaluing the information itself. Postman compares how people gained and retained information back in the day of when print was the main source of information as opposed to the people of 1985 that got it off television, early phone, early internet, and other technologies. His purpose is to bring forth the issue that maybe television overtaking our lives isn't a good thing and that we shouldn't completely depend on it to obtain our information. He targets people who are surrounded by television and technology and place them in high regard.
Personal Commentary: Though this was written in the 80's, the premise is still so applicable to today. My eyes have been opened and now I realize just how much we rely on technology to get our information. There's a reason as to why teachers ask for sources besides Wikipedia; not all information out there is reliable.
Thinking as a Hobby Précis: William Golding in his non-fiction short tale suggests that most people are at a very low level of thinking and should attempt to get to a level modeled more after his own. Golding tells stories of his past in chronological order, each revealing a new "level" of thinking. His purpose is to reveal the steps it took him to get to what he calls "grade one thinking" in order to encourage people to recognize these grades of thinking not only in those around them, but also in themselves. He writes this for an audience whom he would consider to be below "grade one thinking" so as to give them hope for a better worldview.
Personal Commentary: Throughout this whole piece I got a pompous attitude from Golding. That isn't to say, however, that some of what he says isn't true. I do believe that there are different levels of thinking throughout the population, but Golding could have conveyed this idea to his audience better if he hadn't had such a narcissistic approach.
Exchange Between Wheatley/Washington Précis: Phyllis Wheatley and George Washington in the letter/poem exchange between them exchanged nothing more than an admiration and gratitude for said admiration. Wheatley addresses Washington numerous times as "Your Excellency", "Your worship" and sent him a very flattering poem that left Washington unable to not respond. The purpose to Wheatley's poem and letter was simply to show her praise and admiration for one of the Colonial leaders of the time in order to show how much America was looking up to him. Washington eventually wrote back due to the enormous esteem in which Wheatley held him in.
Personal Commentary: Though Wheatley's praise at some points did come across as a bit forced, I don't believe that she didn't mean any single word of what she said. I believe that she so humbled by Washington's great image that she felt that in a way that she owed it to him to throw a vast amount of appraisal at his way.
Précis: Steve Rushin in his Sports Illustrated article argues that reasons to eliminate recess are ridiculous and that it's a staple in all children's elementary school experience. Rushin gives many cases where recess has been cancelled and then provides the point that many adults are given the privilege of recess so ergo, it would only make sense for children to have the same. His purpose is to convince readers that recess is in fact a necessary thing in order to ensure that it doesn't disappear forever. He pervades the piece with an underlying sense of nostalgia so as to reach the adults that once indulged in recess and make them see that future generations may not get that privilege any more.
Personal Commentary: This breaks my heart. Recess is one of the things about elementary school that I remember most fondly. To think that future kids may not get to experience the joys of recess like I did is absolutely tragic and unfair.
Patrick Henry’s Speech to the Virginia Convention
Précis: Patrick Henry in a meeting with Virginia's delegates delivered a speech imploring the delegates to vote towards forming an army to defend against the British army. Through the use of rhetorical questions, Henry attempts to ask his audience to give what he is saying deep thought. Henry poses these questions backing them up with his own opinions in order to convince the delegates that the formation of an army would be the best thing for the colony. He attempts to convey a sense of urgency and high importance to the audience of delegates for the better good of the colony.
Personal Commentary: At times it seemed Henry's argument was too question heavy. However, I see now that Paine's main strategy was to really get his audience to think and he thought he would best achieve this by asking questions.
“Of the Origin and Design of Government in General, with Concise Remarks on the English Constitution” - Thomas Paine
Précis: Thomas Paine, in an excerpt from his work Common Sense argues against the oppressive English form of government and that government should be for the people. By listing out the Brittish Governments many flaws, Paine effectively bashes everything the British Crown stands for and advocates a government for the people in the process. He capitalizes certain words such as "ELECT" in order to stress how much more beneficial a government for the people would be as opposed to a tyrannical government like Britain's. He addresses his readers in an aggressive tone which makes it sound like he knew what he was talking about and to prove that Government is no laughing matter.
Personal Commentary: Out of all the documents read, Paine's was the only one who came off as arrogant. His tone was to almost too aggressive and made him seem pompous.
"The Declaration of Independence"- Thomas Jefferson
Précis: Thomas Jefferson in the Declaration of Independence brings forth the many crimes committed against the colonies by the English Crown and gives reason as to why they want to break free from that oppression. By accusing the King directly for all of his cruelty, Jefferson provides a strong argument as to why the colonies deserved to be free. He lists of all of the crime the King committed one by one in order to make it apparent that this break was long coming around and that they are justified for doing so. His tone is very curt and formal so as to give the document a legal and straight forward feel in the eyes of the many politicians who would read over it.
Personal Commentary: The frankness of this document gives at a very serious tone throughout and as you are reading over it you get the sense that who ever wrote it meant business. There was great are put into this so as to get their point across and avoid loop-holes.
9/11
Citation: 9/11. Dir. Jules C. Naudet and Thomas G. Naudet. CBS, 2002. CBS Programming.
Précis: Directors Jules and Gedeon Naudet, in their documentary 9/11 showcase the tragedy that struck the nation firsthand through the footage they shot on that day. The Naudet brothers set up the documentary with a a preview of what was to come, then follow it with a bit of a normal schedule in the life of a fireman, then follow the events of 9/11 in chronological order. Their purpose is not only to share their experience with the world but also that of the firemen who were in the action in order to bring in light on a day that has affected the lives of all Americans.
Personal Commentary: I was living outside of the country when 9/11 happened, so I heard about it but I never really knew exactly how it all happened. I really felt this documentary pull me in to that day, and it almost felt like you were there. Experiencing that day as if it were happening before your eyes.
Growing Up Online
Category: Documentary
Précis: The documentary, Growing Up Online, suggests that as Internet is beginning to overtake most aspects of kids' lives, one should not ignore or underestimate the dangers nor the exaggerated attitudes revolving around it. Growing Up Online showcases examples where excessive Internet has been detrimental in aspects of kids lives. This documentary's purpose is to exemplify on just how much technology has taken over our lives. Whether it's a girl like Autumn Edows posting provocative pictures of herself for the world to see in order to fit in or an overprotective mother smothering her kids on their computer use, this documentary provides extreme examples in order to show the audience that there is danger underlying in the abundance of technology.
Personal Commentary: There's no way that anything like this wouldn't shock anyone. I feel that this documentary was a bit exaggerated for the sole purpose of dramatic effect but it does make some valid points and it's not like those stories weren't true. The bit about Autumn Edows was what impressed me the most because she saw nothing wrong in what she was doing.
The Overachievers
Citation: Robbins, Alexandra. The Overachievers: The Secret Lives of Driven Kids. New York: Hyperion, 2006. Print.
Category: Reading/ Literature
Précis: Alexandra Robbins, popular journalist and bestselling author, in her nonfiction novel “The Overachivers” insinuates that with increasing pressure placed on students to excel in everything and anything school related, stress and other detrimental effects are beginning to take over their overall state of living. Robbins provides readers with various accounts of different high school students going about their schedules and dealing with factors such as overbearing parents, stress, pressure, and an overall sense of being overwhelmed that eventually transcends into how they deal with life in the present and future. Her purpose is to bring to light the reality that too much is being asked of students in order to showcase the downside to taking the drive to succeed in school to an extreme. She attempts to establish a connection with her readers to each of the students in her novel by using humor and down to earth storytelling to make her audience see that after all, they are just kids.
Personal Commentary: As a high school student, I find it extremely easy to relate to this book. It seems that with each passing year the expectations are raised and the pressure to succeed increases significantly. It would be beneficial to everyone if things were not taken so seriously all the time and we were given time to breathe. I wonder if there will ever be a time when school will ever be a place devoted to simply learning, instead of constantly being a place where completion is the reason behind everything.
Amusing Ourselves to Death
Citation: Postman, Neil. Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business. New York: Penguin, 1986. Print.
Précis: Neil Postman in his non-fiction work Amusing Ourselves to Death argues that technology, especially television, is turning news and information into a form of entertainment, devaluing the information itself. Postman compares how people gained and retained information back in the day of when print was the main source of information as opposed to the people of 1985 that got it off television, early phone, early internet, and other technologies. His purpose is to bring forth the issue that maybe television overtaking our lives isn't a good thing and that we shouldn't completely depend on it to obtain our information. He targets people who are surrounded by television and technology and place them in high regard.
Personal Commentary: Though this was written in the 80's, the premise is still so applicable to today. My eyes have been opened and now I realize just how much we rely on technology to get our information. There's a reason as to why teachers ask for sources besides Wikipedia; not all information out there is reliable.
Thinking as a Hobby
Précis: William Golding in his non-fiction short tale suggests that most people are at a very low level of thinking and should attempt to get to a level modeled more after his own. Golding tells stories of his past in chronological order, each revealing a new "level" of thinking. His purpose is to reveal the steps it took him to get to what he calls "grade one thinking" in order to encourage people to recognize these grades of thinking not only in those around them, but also in themselves. He writes this for an audience whom he would consider to be below "grade one thinking" so as to give them hope for a better worldview.
Personal Commentary: Throughout this whole piece I got a pompous attitude from Golding. That isn't to say, however, that some of what he says isn't true. I do believe that there are different levels of thinking throughout the population, but Golding could have conveyed this idea to his audience better if he hadn't had such a narcissistic approach.
Exchange Between Wheatley/Washington
Précis: Phyllis Wheatley and George Washington in the letter/poem exchange between them exchanged nothing more than an admiration and gratitude for said admiration. Wheatley addresses Washington numerous times as "Your Excellency", "Your worship" and sent him a very flattering poem that left Washington unable to not respond. The purpose to Wheatley's poem and letter was simply to show her praise and admiration for one of the Colonial leaders of the time in order to show how much America was looking up to him. Washington eventually wrote back due to the enormous esteem in which Wheatley held him in.
Personal Commentary: Though Wheatley's praise at some points did come across as a bit forced, I don't believe that she didn't mean any single word of what she said. I believe that she so humbled by Washington's great image that she felt that in a way that she owed it to him to throw a vast amount of appraisal at his way.
Give the Kids a Break
Citation: Rushin, Steve. "Give The Kids A Break - 12.04.06 - SI Vault." Sports Illustrated.com. Web. 08 Sept. 2011. <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1114294/1/index.htm>.
Précis: Steve Rushin in his Sports Illustrated article argues that reasons to eliminate recess are ridiculous and that it's a staple in all children's elementary school experience. Rushin gives many cases where recess has been cancelled and then provides the point that many adults are given the privilege of recess so ergo, it would only make sense for children to have the same. His purpose is to convince readers that recess is in fact a necessary thing in order to ensure that it doesn't disappear forever. He pervades the piece with an underlying sense of nostalgia so as to reach the adults that once indulged in recess and make them see that future generations may not get that privilege any more.
Personal Commentary: This breaks my heart. Recess is one of the things about elementary school that I remember most fondly. To think that future kids may not get to experience the joys of recess like I did is absolutely tragic and unfair.